Ross Cockrell is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Escalate Capital Partners. See sector focus and contact routes.
Ross Cockrell is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Escalate Capital Partners, an Austin-based growth capital firm he launched in 2005 after spending a decade as a General Partner at Austin Ventures [1][2]. His investment thesis targets expansion and later-stage technology and healthcare companies across the United States, focusing on B2B software, tech-enabled services, and Internet businesses with stable revenue profiles [5]. Cockrell typically writes checks between $3 million and $15 million, often providing mezzanine capital in the form of subordinated debt to supplement traditional bank leverage in later financing rounds [5]. Notable portfolio companies include HomeAway, RetailMeNot, Active Network, and Workfront, alongside earlier investments like Convio and Reactivity where he previously served as a director [3][5]. Escalate has deployed over $800 million since 2005, seeking to enable growth while minimizing dilution for companies typically generating $10 million to $50 million in annual revenue [3][5]. Cockrell distinguishes his approach by avoiding bets on unproven technology standards or companies with high customer concentration, prioritizing low wipeout risk and bu
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